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Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a genetic disease in which the heart
muscle grows abnormally, making the heart muscle thicken. The thickened heart
muscle can interfere with the heart's electrical system, which increases the
risk for life-threatening abnormal heartbeats (arrhythmias) and, rarely, sudden
death.

Symptoms, such as shortness of breath and chest pain, may occur at
any time of life. But some people never have symptoms, even though the
condition may have been present for some time. In some cases, the thickened
heart muscle is unable to relax between heartbeats, and the heart muscle itself
does not get enough blood or oxygen, which causes chest pain. In rare cases,
the thickened heart muscle becomes unable to pump enough blood to meet the
body's needs, resulting in heart failure.

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